Instruments

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General

• instuments such as the trumpet, saxophone, and trombone were sometimes silver-plated with gold-plated keys in the 1920s (3)
• tone and pitch modifiers were used for better sound
• musicians began to learn more than one instrument, most popularly the saxophone and the clarinet
• intruments changed popularity during the 1920s due to the competition for audiences and battles to be the fastest, loudest, or most creative

Bass

• a complementary intrument that kept a steady beat
• added a low, beating sound and gave depth to the performence (1)
• usually played by plucking the strings
• creates the bass line of Jazz music

Clarinent

• shifted in and out of demand during the 1920s (1)
• most jazz bands had one or two clarinet players

Drum

• the near-present day drum set (snare drum + bass drum + cymbal) was introduced into the music world around the time of the late 1920s (2)
• started the age of drum solos that became more complex as the sound was prefected

Piano

• well known with Jelly Roll Morton, who became famous playing the piano to Jazz (4)
• versatile, can accompany both slow and fast songs

Saxophone

• the most preferred instrument in the Jazz era of the 1920s
• gradually replaced the Clarinet as the instrument of choice for playing Jazz music
• an extremely popular intrument in the Jazz age especially as the bands began to compete for audiences
• nick-named the "sax"

Trombone

• usually played with a mute (1)
• George Brunies' instrument of choice when performing Jazz numbers (4)
• a standard in any Jazz band as part of the brass section

Trumpet

• broke into solos that were longer and more complex later in the Jazz age
• a popular intrument for the lead player or proformer
• usually played with a mute (1)
• a favorite of famous Jazz performer Louis Armstrong (4)

Works Consulted

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1. "Jazz in the '20s." California State University Northridge. 7 Mar. 2008 <http://www.csun.edu/~hbcsc626/jazz.html>.

2. "Rythmic Percussion." Think Quest. 7 Mar. 2008 <http://library.thinkquest.org/15413/instruments/percussion.htm>.

3. "C Melody." C Melody . 7 Mar. 2008 < http://www.cmelody.com/?page_id=9>.

4. "New Orleans Notables: Music." New Orleans. The New Orleans Conventions and Visitors Bureau. 7 Mar. 2008 <http://www.neworleanscvb.com/static/index.cfm/contentID/536/sectionID/1/subsectionID/0>.

5. Global B2B Network. 7 Mar. 2008 <http://www.global-b2b-network.com/direct/dbimage/50332561/Clarinet.jpg>.

6. Pearson Pianos. 7 Mar. 2008 <http://easybib.com/MyBib/step2.php>.

7. USA Sold Stores. 7 Mar. 2008 <http://www.usasold.net/StoresUnlimited/products_pictures/ss1.jpg>.